Luis Suarez Says Neymar Would’ve Won Ballon d’Or if He Stayed at Barcelona

• Luis Suarez says Neymar would've won the Ballon d'Or if he had stayed at Barcelona
• The veteran striker added that he and Lionel Messi advised him against joining PSG
• Neymar failed to live up to expectations at PSG and left after six seasons

Brazil and Al-Hilal international, Neymar left Barcelona in 2017 for Paris Saint-Germain in a world record deal.

Luis Suarez has disclosed that he and Lionel Messi, Neymar's teammates at Barcelona, advised him against joining the French giants. The Uruguayan says Neymar would've won the Ballon d'Or if he had stayed.

Six years ago, PSG paid €222 million to meet Neymar's buyout clause, and after the deal materialized, it became the biggest deal in football history. The deal caused shockwaves that are still being felt in football today.

Neymar was expected to take PSG to the next level, especially in Europe. Interestingly, his transfer came after the Brazilian inspired the Blaugrana to one of the greatest comebacks of all time in the Champions League.

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Neymar made 173 appearances for the Parisians, scoring 118 goals and helping the club win 13 trophies, including five Ligue 1 titles, per Transfermarkt. However, the coveted Champions League trophy evaded him at the club.

He left PSG this summer to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, ending a turbulent six-year spell in France.

What Suarez, Messi told Neymar

Neymar was at his best in the 2014/15 season, when Barcelona won the treble under Luis Enrique. He played alongside Messi and Suarez, forming one of the best front threes in football.

He played two more seasons before moving to PSG.

Suarez said Neymar would've won the Ballon d'Or if he had stayed at Barcelona.

"'Ney, if you want to win everything, stay here with us [at Barcelona]... Or go to England, it's better to [Manchester] City, because football is better there... if Neymar would've stayed at Barcelona he would've own a Ballon d'Or for sure," he said, via ESPN.

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Neymar came close to winning the Ballon d'Or in 2015 and 2017, but he finished behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, who dominated the Ballon d'Or for years.

He finished in the top 10 from 2013 to 2017. He never finished in the top 10 after joining PSG.

Neymar salutes Messi over Ballon d'Or success

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that the Brazilian forward congratulated Lionel Messi after he won the Ballon d'Or for the eighth time.

The Argentina and Inter Miami star was crowned the best player of 2023 at the 67th Ballon d'Or awards, beating off competition from Manchester City forward, Erling Haaland, and former Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Kylian Mbappe.